Aviation Minister Robert Goodwill visited Cornwall today (Thursday, February 11) to see for himself the significant growth which has been taking place at Cornwall Airport Newquay and the Aerohub Enterprise Zone over the past six months. 

Following Cornwall Council’s announcement that it was removing the £5 Airport Development Fee (ADF) levy from March 27 as part of a package of measures to help encourage new airlines to fly from Cornwall, the Airport has seen the introduction of a number of new routes. 

New regional and international routes to and from Cornwall Airport  Newquay for the Summer 2016 season include Aberdeen, Doncaster, Sheffield, Liverpool and Glasgow (Flybe); Alicante and Frankfurt Hahn (Ryanair) as well as an increased schedule to Dublin (Aer Lingus). 

These routes are in addition to the existing routes offered by the Airport which include year-round flights to Manchester and London Gatwick with Flybe and daily direct flights between Newquay and the Isles of Scilly with Skybus.  Other existing routes include Birmingham, London Stansted, Belfast, Edinburgh, Newcastle (Flybe) and Dusseldorf (Eurowings). 

Flybe announced last year that it was switching from the existing turbo prop aircraft to the larger 118-seat Embraer jet aircraft on its three times a day London Gatwick route, with the new jet aircraft due to come into service on March 27. 

The larger jet will provide an additional 40,000 departing seats from Newquay over a 12-month  period. 

Mr Goodwill said: ’The growth in new routes and passenger numbers at Cornwall Airport Newquay has been significant and it is great to see the positive benefits this is bringing to the local community. Our smaller airports are vital engines for local  economies, connecting the UK and opening up opportunities.’